1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supplying/removing apparatus of puncture sealant of a tire capable of charging the puncture sealant into a punctured tire and removing the puncture sealant charged in the tire.
2. Description of the Related Art
As such an apparatus, Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 2003-127242 and No. 2004-114524 propose structures as shown in FIGS. 6(A) and (B). In this apparatus (a), an easily deformable plastic container (b) is used, the container (b) is manually compressed (pressed), thereby charging the puncture sealant into a tire (T) (FIG. 6(A)). Thereafter, the container (b) is taken out, a compressor is connected to the tire (T) to pump up the tire (T) and then, the tire (T) is allowed to run, and the puncture hole is sealed by the puncture sealant in a first-aid manner. This method is called a manual system in some cases.
The tire (T) which was repaired in the first-aid manner is carried to a tire-repairing place such as a garage at an appropriate time, and the tire (T) is replaced by a new tire. At that time, it is necessary to remove the puncture sealant from the tire (T). For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 6(B), the apparatus (a) used when the puncture sealant is charged is again used. More specifically, a hose (C) of the apparatus (a) is inserted into the tire from a valve mounting hole (T1) from which an air valve is removed, the container (b) is repeatedly compressed and restored manually, and the puncture sealant can be collected into the container (b) by a suction force generated at that time.
As another first-aid repairing method of the puncture, in addition to the manual system, there is a so-called automatic system in which a tire and a compressor are connected to a metal pressure-resistant container using a hose. According to this method, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-108215, a puncture sealant in a pressure-resistant container can be sent into the tire by supplying high pressure air from the compressor into the pressure-resistant container. Then, by successively allowing the high pressure air to flow, the tire can automatically pumped up.
According to the automatic system, however, since the pressure-resistant container having high strength is used, it is difficult to repeatedly compress and restore the container unlike the manual system. Thus, the automatic system has a problem that a suction apparatus for removing sealant is required separately.